http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2008-11-21T06:06:52Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelhotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/local/604 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/7/23/02938/9502 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/fourseasonsmaui_pool.jpg" class="imgborder"> <p><b>[Ed Note: Alex Salkever is the editor and founder of <a href="http://hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a>, a Hawaii travel blog.]</b> <p>Hotels in Aloha Land have long been perennial placeholders on <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2008/">Travel + Leisure's annual World's Best Awards</a>. <p>Rinse, repeat in 2008 but hold the coconut, surfer boy. Things may not be as glossy as they seem: several Hawaii hotels returning to the uber list actually declined in rankings. <p>The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Four+Seasons+Hualalai/ian/127265"><b>Four Seasons Resort Hualalai</b></a>, on the Big Island, ranked No. 27, down from No. 9 in 2007 -- perhaps showing its relative age? <p>Waikiki's <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Halekulani/local/604"><b>Halekulani</b></a> snagged No. 44, down from No. 38 a year ago. Sniff, sniff (maybe it was the <a href="http://hawaiirama.com/2008/07/hawaii-hotels-bedbugs-at-the-h">bedbugs report</a>? Although Halekulani gets bonus <a ASalkever 2008-07-23T17:30:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/7/23/43225/9147 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/parkshore_waikiki.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p><b>[Ed. Note: Alex Salkever is the editor and founder of Hawaii travel blog, <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama.com</a>.</b>]<p> Waikiki has gotten more than its fair share of revivalism of late. A brand new retail center (Waikiki Beach Walk), a bevy of hotel renovations, and other hardhat efforts have started to swing the pendulum on the faded kitsch capital into the bling zone.<p> Of course, the arrival of Donald Trump and an outpost of Nobu hammer that point home. <p>Now Waikiki looks to get a welcome addition -- an honest-to-goodness luxury hotel. The new owners of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Park+Shore+Waikiki/ian/185672"><b>Park Shore Waikiki</b></a>, which has a dynamite location on the eastern edge of the resort Mecca, have <a href="http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2007/07/16/daily62.html?jst=b_ln_hl">pledged to upgrade</a> this 1960s era ASalkever 2007-07-23T09:37:20-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/12/15533/5062 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/waikikiparc_lobby.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p><b>[Ed. Note: Alex Salkever is the founder/editor of Hawaii travel blog <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a>]</b><p> With Hawaii hotel occupancy on the slide, the resorts are busily tossing out special promotions for the normally slow and now even slower month of may. One of the best deals, in my, opinion, is $212 for a Deluxe Ocean Room at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Waikiki+Parc+Hotel/local/217"><b>Waikiki Parc</b></a>.<p> This is the unsung, entry-level sister property to the posher-than-poshest <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Halekulani/ian/175559">Halekulani.</a> The difference between the two? Slightly more minimal rooms, 100 yards away from the ocean, and much better ocean views for the buck. At <a href="http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=dspv&amp;itid=&amp;itdx=&amp;itty=&amp;from=f&amp;shtl=1">$212 on Expedia</a> (your mileage may vary), the ocean view rooms in the top floors are some of the best bargains around ASalkever 2007-05-14T09:15:02-05:00 21.278092 -157.83059 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/10/24/215314/22 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/lewerslounge.jpg"><p><b>[Ed Note: Have you ever wondered where's a hip place to drink in Hawaii? Hotel Maven <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/asalkever">Alex Salkever,</a> who writes all about the 50th state at <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com/">Hawaiirama</a>, gives us his #1 recommendation in Honolulu. Enjoy.]</b><p> Whenever possible I pop in to <b>Lewers Lounge</b> at the swank <a href="http://www.halekulani.com/dining/lewers_lounge/"><b>Halekulani Hotel</b></a> for a nightcap. It's probably the most soothing, mellow cocktail lounge in Honolulu, almost like a very suave New York speakeasy joint with a crooner and trio but a lot of extremely stiff tropical cocktails, and, of course, the hotel's signature coconut cake (total yum). <p>The drinks are very old school. That's due to <a href="http://www.kingcocktail.com/">Dale Degroff</a>. He's the master cocktailer, known as the King of Cocktails who ASalkever 2006-10-25T12:02:09-05:00 21.277895 -157.83220 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/3/15/162342/573 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/johnnie_walkerblue.jpg"><a href="http://halekulani.com/"><b>Halekulani </b></a>, home of the infamous <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2005/6/14/155728/464">Vera Wang suite</a> in Honolulu, is upping its exclusivity status again. Currently, the hotel is offering guests the "exceedingly rare" Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1805 Anniversary Pack scotch. <blockquote><p> This exceptional cask-strength blend unites nine extraordinary types of whiskies primarily from distilleries that no longer exist. Each whisky is between 45 and 70 years old, adding to the 1805 Anniversary Pack's distinct allure. </blockquote></p><p> Apparently, there are only 200 bottles of this stuff worldwide. &nbsp;But you can get the Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1805 at Halekulani's La Mer restaurant for "only" $325 for a one ounce pour.<p> Since we only drink to get drunk, regardless of taste and on the juliana 2006-03-15T16:32:01-05:00 21.277895 -157.83220 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/